😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $771 in Maasin City.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,252 in Maasin City.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,732 in Maasin City.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 34% more expensive than in Maasin City, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Maasin City42% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Maasin City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16COP 20.1K
$4.51₱278
36.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.60COP 106.1K
$23.62₱1,456
38.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.34COP 23.9K
$4.33₱267
69.52%
Cappuccino
$1.72COP 5,599
$2.57₱159
-33.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05COP 3,420
$0.79₱48.79
32.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77COP 2,515
$0.46₱28.18
67.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.69COP 5,487
$1.54₱95.0
9.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17COP 10.3K
$2.10₱129
50.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Maasin City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05COP 3,423
$2.17₱134
-51.61%
White Bread(500g)
$1.30COP 4,236
$0.92₱56.6
41.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40COP 4,544
$0.94₱58.0
48.94%
Eggs
$2.16COP 7,046
$2.14₱132
0.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.39COP 14.3K
$12.65₱780
-65.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.88COP 19.1K
$5.36₱331
9.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.64COP 28.1K
$7.59₱468
13.83%
Apples(1kg)
$2.28COP 7,425
$1.82₱112
25.27%
Banana(1kg)
$1.11COP 3,603
$0.69₱42.46
60.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 4,982
$1.79₱110
-14.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.35COP 4,410
$2.18₱134
-38.07%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,674
$2.58₱159
-56.20%
Onion(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,692
$2.50₱154
-54.80%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 2,753
$0.95₱58.4
-10.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 2,975
$0.85₱52.3
7.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34COP 7,629
$3.10₱191
-24.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.37COP 40.3K
$6.49₱400
90.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 3,909
$1.16₱71.5
3.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49COP 8,104
$2.34₱144
6.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Maasin City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.84COP 2,727
$0.28₱17.34
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.57COP 132.1K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,623
$0.87₱53.8
63.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.92COP 6,235
$0.25₱15.44
668.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.66COP 24.9K
$2.70₱166
183.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,223
$1.09₱67.5
-9.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
$30.3K₱1.9M
-40.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
$27.7K₱1.7M
-3.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Maasin City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$80.8COP 263.1K
$98.3₱6,065
-17.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95COP 32.4K
$33.67₱2,077
-70.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.18COP 78.7K
$29.48₱1,818
-17.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Maasin City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.08COP 81.6K
$34.56₱2,132
-27.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15COP 62.3K
$4.37₱269
338.22%
Cinema Ticket
$3.98COP 13.0K
$6.03₱372
-34.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Maasin City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$305COP 993.4K
$235₱14.5K
30.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,059COP 19.7M
$3,903₱240.7K
55.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Maasin City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1COP 189.2K
$46.08₱2,842
26.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.20COP 104.8K
$22.63₱1,395
42.29%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101COP 327.9K
$76.7₱4,731
31.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108COP 350.8K
$54.6₱3,367
97.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Maasin City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$477COP 1.6M
$269₱16.6K
77.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$376COP 1.2M
$180₱11.1K
109.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$845COP 2.7M
$590₱36.4K
43.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$730COP 2.4M
$399₱24.6K
83.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,215COP 10.5M
$2,430₱149.8K
32.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,372COP 4.5M
$959₱59.1K
43.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Maasin City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617COP 2.0M
$129₱7,978
376.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
8
67.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Last update for Maasin City: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $269 in Maasin City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 377% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $24.00 in Maasin City. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $212, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Medellin vs Maasin City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maasin City cheaper than Medellin?
Maasin City is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Maasin City?
Average pay runs 377% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Maasin City?
Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $269 in Maasin City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Maasin City?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Maasin City?
All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $771 in Maasin City – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Maasin City?
At $771 in Maasin City versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maasin City but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Maasin City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Maasin City more family-friendly?
For families, Maasin City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Maasin City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.